The Press MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1891.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7878, 1 June 1891, Page 4

The Press MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1891.

Some few weeks ago we made some stir by our comments on some of tho characteristics of tho girls moving ia Christchurch society. The subject was so fully discussed in our correspondence columns that we do not wish to ro-open it, but we think the time has come to say a little about their associates of tho other sex. We were rather amused at the time by the eagerness whioh the young ladies themselves displayed that their brothers, aud cousins, and lovers should be criticised, and also by the smug complacency with which maviy of our youug gentlemeu seemed to regard tho unfavorable part of our criticism on the girls, apparently thinking there was little room for unfavorable criticism of themselves.

We must admit fraukly that there is a good deal co be said iv favor of our boys, They are as a rulo prudent and temperate. They do not gamble or drink to any alarming extent, and thoy are tolerably clean iv their language, lv their professions or business, whatever it may be, they are fairly competent aud industrious, lv their sports and games too they are more or loss proficient. lv fact they are moderately good young meu all round, buc it is this very moderatiou of which we aro disposed to complain. We should prefer them if they had more light aud shade iv their character, if their virtues were ou a larger aud more generous scale, even if thair faults and failings were sometimes more serious. But the fact is that many of them are such tepid creatures that they are not capable either of great virtues or great vices. They have none of the buddings of genius, aud are terribly afraid of being in the least out of tho commou or original. They do pretty carefully what they aro obliged to do, but they are never caught doing more than than is absolutely necessary. We should as soon expect to see a Ohristuhurch dude

flying to the moou as to hear of hia voluntarily pursuing, in his leisure hours, some study for the sake of eulargiug and improving his mind. This mediocrity is apparent in their sports even. They are not, as a rule, good tenuis players, They go regularly to tenuis parties, especially to those at which the hostess is likely to be liberal with her fruit or cake. They are supercilious iv their criticisms ou tho state of the" lawn or nets. With characteristic rudeness, of which more by and bye, they do uot hesitate to let it be kuowu that they grudge the time wasted in playing iv mixed sets. They forgot that these parties are given as much for the sake of the girls as for themselves, and that their hostess naturally imagines that she is paying them a compliment in inviting them to help her to eutert&iu her young lady friends. Their prudence makes them rather indisposed to join the ordinary tenuis oiubj they prefer cheap tennis aud gratuitous refreshments.

In cricket also the ChrJßtohurohmaßher ia falling behind, rle does not like the drudgery of regular practice at the nets. .Iv Rugby football he will soon be extinct altogether. It is not that he laoks aotivicy, strength or courage. He has as much of these qualities as the best of our players, which is saying a good deal, and bis ejtrly school training has given him au amount of skill besides, which is sorely missed in the big matches. But he will nob traiu. It would interfere with his indulgence in the mild dissipations of our society. We have said that our young men are ecouomioal, and so they are; ex* ceediugly so, as a rule, ltather too much so almost, though we must admit that economy is one of those drabcolored virtues which often lay the foundations of a good deal of happiness or, at any rate, freedom from care in after life. Still we should like to see our young men occasionally indulge themselves iv small outbursts gf generosity. Tbe birthdays or 1 their lady friends, so loug as they are young enough tp care to have their birthdays numbered, might sometimes be marked by pretty little attentions in the shape of gifts of flowers or nicuacks, /Our gilded youths might sometimes, without imperilling their future prosperity, make hopeless bets pf gloves wic£ young ladies, to whom the price of a> p*ir of gloves is a consideration. Their character would be but imper. fectly sketched if we did not allude to their sensitiveness to ridicule, which is so great as to amount to a disease. They are good tempered oq the whole, aud not unwilling to forget aud forgive offences of a serious nature, yet if they be ridiculed and a laugh raised at their expense they are the sworn enemy for life of the joker. This ieusitiveness is a real stumbling block to their progress iv life. It prevents them from doing or saying anything in the least degree removed from the commonplace for fear of making themselves ridiculous. It interferes even with their comfort in small things. For example, a Christchurch young man of fashion would walk for miles ia a hot suu or iv a heavy storm rather than accept a lift i» a spring cart by the side of a farmer or a tradesman, or anyone not of his own set,

But it is in society itself that our young gentlemen give most cause for complaint. It is pot saying top much to aay that, of course witb mauy exceptions, our young men are in some respects unmannerly cubs. Woe betide a strange girl in a Christchurch ballroom, especially if she be plain and be kuowu to be poor, it is in yaiu tbat her chaperon© introduces our fashionable youths to her. Tho chaperon© may be a lady who has ofte©

sumptuous)? entertained these young gentlemen • herself. It would bo but a -small reiuru for -her hospitality to give a dauca or two to her protegee, and indeed, do all iv their power to make the young strange* feel at home. But, no! under siioti ciroumstauoos bur mashers find their programmes full. Even if tho girl is ' good looking enough to attract their lauguld admiration they are mentally too lazy to caro for tho trouble of breaking the ice aud making a new acquaintance. Perhaps also they are appreheusive that her dancing may not be up to the high standard they expect from their partners, aud , fail to como up to their own. They will drink their host's wine aud yet look, if not speak, unutterable things about it, though doubtless of far better quality than any they have over drank at their own expense. They are apt to gee into corners where they rudely discuss the peculiarities of their entertainers and the guests, varied with highly intellectual conversation with reaoeot to tho latest

totalisator odda. Otherwise their behaviour iv the ball-room is as a rulo quiet and iv fairly good form.

It follows from what \va have sat I that wo consider our young men to bo very selfish and uuoliivairons. Tlioy aro glad' to bo Sceu talking to a pretty girl, especially if her. father ia well off, but they raroiy take ranch trouble to make themselves agreeable to elderly ladie3 or young ones who aro nos of attractive appearance We mast comment on ouo more characteristic before we close. This is their snobbish contempt for anything colonial, and this is lutensiiiad in the case of tliosu who have taken a trip to the Old Country. They would rather die of thirst in tho desert of Sahara than drink a glaas of colonial beer. They prefer tho tiery ami adulterated wiuo of Europe to tho liglit and wholesome wines of Australia. Ttiey pine to go to London so c.iac they cun be measured by uLoudou tailor, aud for ever after they eschew Colonial tweeds and will encase themselves in any

shoddy material if oily it be English. Colonial boots are to them an abomination. As to taking au interest in Colonial politics, they are far above that, though, ou the other hand, they know about as little of English politics as the average English ploughman. But wo have said euough. We do not despair of our young people. There are aome df both soxos to whom our remarks do not apply. There are girls in Christchurch who are accomplished. Aye 11 read and refined, as well as industrious, uuseltish, aud domesticated. There are "our boys" soma who are 4&niy, vigorous, and industrious in theiSliusinesß occupations aud amusements, .aud kindly, considerate, aud cultured in society. With these to set an example to the majority, whose detioiouoies we have beeu deploring, wo need not, we repeat, despair. "\V"ith such examplos before chem thero is hope for improvement on the part of the rest. Hut they would improve very much faster if- they could infuse, a little more earnestness aud enthusiasm, into their lives, aud could become less selfish aud more considerate of the comfort of others!'-' •-■' 'vv ''.-■ '"■■-' : - ■' *;•'' Iv conclusion, we desire to say that we''have penned this article and bur previous one oh "our' girls" in all kindness, and with au honest desire to warn our youug people of the dangers by whioh they are beset. To tnem the power of introspection which Burns desired for mankind at large would be of especial value — O wad some pow'r tho gif tie gio us, To see oursela as others sco as! It wad irae monie a blunder free us, Aud foolish notion. If in any way we have succeoded in forcing ou young New Zealanders of both sexes cue duty of self-examina-tion we believe we shall have done them avreai service, for which hereafter sincerely gratefuL, .